Rubber boot



May 29, 1945. F. H. Mmm 2,317,022l

RUBBER BOOT Filed Jn. 5, 1944 Patented `May 29, 1945 RUBBERBoofr' Frederick H. Martin, Belmont, Mass., assignnor to l' The B. F. Goodrich Company, New York, N. Y.,

a. corporation of New York Application January 3, 1944, Serial No. 516,821

3 Claims.

n This invention relates to rubber boots or the like, andI especially to boots of the hip-length type having a flexible leg portion adapted to be folded down to a reduced length. More particularly the invention relates to hip-length boots having a protective cuff located on the inside of each `boot for protecting the folding zone in the folded down portion.

Rubber boots of the hip-length type include a flexible leg portion that can be folded down to a reduced length at a folding zone usually located either at or just below the knee of the wearer. As the folding exposes the inner fabric lining of the boot, this fabric is subjected to extreme wear by objects rubbing against it, particularly at the folding zone, with the result that the useful life of the boot frequently is limited by the leg portion wearing thin and breaking at the line of the fold. Y

It is an object of this invention to provide a boot that will better withstand the above-described wear at the folding zone. Another object of the invention is to provide such a boot having a built-in cuff providing effective protection against wear on the folding zone whether from outside objects or from objects inside the boot, such as the wearers clothing. It is a further object to provide such a boot construction without objectionably reducing the exibility of the foldable portion of the boot. Other objects will become apparent in the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention.

Of the drawing,

Fig, 1 is a perspective view of a hip-length boot with the leg portion folded down and having a protective cuff in accordance with the invention, the cuff being shown in an upstanding position and Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective-view showing the boot of Fig. 1 with the protective cuff iny turned down position to overlie the folding zone of the leg portion.

The boot shown in the accompanying drawingv comprises a flexible leg portion i adapted to be folded down' at a folding zone Il to a reduced length and a protective cuff I2 encircling the inside of the boot at the folding zone. This cuff I2 is fastened in an upstanding position by cementing its lower edge to a section of the boot adjacent the lower margin of the folding zone Il. The cuff may be about three inches wide, although it can be either narrower or wider if desired, and is constructed preferably'of a lightly rubberized fabric stiff enough to maintain itself in an upstanding position yet readily bendable so that it may be turned down to overlie the fold ing zone when the leg portion is in folded position. In the preferred embodiment shown, the cuff is made in two sections I3, I3 of substantially equal length with each end of each section overlapping an end of the other section. This construction provides more ready bendability in the cuil? and assures that it may be easily and quick- .ly turned down to overlie the folding zone when desired.

When the boot of this invention is worn for deep wading, with the leg portion I0 fully extended, the protective cuff l2 will be in an upstanding position against the inside of the leg portion and hence will protect the lining at the folding zone from the knee and clothing of the" wearer. When the leg portion is worn folded do-wn the cuff usually will be turned down to overlie the folding zone `Il and thereby protect it from wear and abrasion whether from the knee and clothing of the wearer or from external objects such as a flshermans boat or a farmers shovel handle. Flexibility of the boot top itself is not objectionably impaired in either case.

The protective cuff of the bootl must be fairly stiff in order to hold it in extended position and yet must be readily bendable so that it can be turned down over the folding zone. As previously indicated, the cuff preferably should be made of rubberized fabric, combining fairly heavy fabric and a coating of rubber to produce the requisite combination of limited stiffness plus bendability, but the cuff may also be formed of natu- I ral or synthetic rubber without fabric so long as the rubber is properly compounded to produce the indicated physical characteristics. Similarly, a fairly stiff but readily bendable fabric may be used without rubber. The cuff may be fastened to the boot by Stitching, cementing, or other means usually employed in such a construction. The protective cuff may be made in one continuous piece or it may be made discontinuous with the various sections overlapping at their ends as shown.

Having described my invention together with a preferred embodiment of the same, it is my desire that the invention be construed broadly within the spirit and scope of the invention as set out in the accompanying claims.

I claim:

1. A boot or the like including a flexible leg portion adapted to be folded down at a. folding zone to a reduced length and a protective cuff extending substantially entirely around the inner circumference of the said leg portion adjacent the lower margin of said folding zone, said protectlve cuff being discontinuous with at least two overlapping ends and being bendable to overlie the folding zone when the leg portion is in folded position.

2. A boot or the like including a iiexible leg portion adapted to be folded down at a folding zone to a reduced length and a protective cuff extending substantially entirely around the inner circumference of the said leg portion adjacent 10 the lower margin of said folding zone, said protective cuif being constructed in two parts with each end of said part overlapping an end of the other part and being bendable to overlie the fold- FREDERICK H. MARTIN 

